Merchandise carrying rack having shock absorbing coupling means



G. D- STOUGH Jan. 7, 1964 MERCHANDISE CARRYING RACK HAVING SHOCK ABSORBING COUPLING MEANS Filed Dec. 30. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet l v INVENTOR.

GERALD D. STOUGH MQKM, I

ATTORNEYS Jan. 7, 1964 G. D. STOUGH 3,116,701

MERCHANDISE CARRYING RACK HAVING SHOCK ABSORBING COUPLING MEANS Filed Dec. 30, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3.

'"iii"iixi'iiiixf 62 65 IN VEN TOR.

GERALD D. STOUGH BY 43 22 W W ATTORNEYS Jan. 1, 1964 G. D. STOUGH 3,116,701

MERCHANDISE CARRYING RACK HAVING suocx ABSORBING COUPLING MEANS Filed Dec. 50, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet :5

l3 1 v IT l7 j; 5 E 23 j Z 'ss 65 Z 2 6| l E- 62 E 1 I Z 1 C Z 60 I 1 F b 7 64 .z- 64 E l4 INVENTOR By GERALD 0. STOUGH ATTORNEYS United States Patent 8: Kales Company, River Rouge, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 30, 196i), Ser. No. 79,804 7 Claims. (Cl. 165-369) This invention relates generally to an elongated portable merchandise carrying rack adapted to extend transversely across a longitudinally extending elongated storage cham ber of a transport vehicle and having rigid anchoring means at its opposite ends adapted to be detachably interlocked with rigid anchorage means at opposite upright side walls of said storage chamber, and refers more particularly to a rack of the type mentioned having an elongated frame provided with load-sustaining means adapted to be shiftably supported upon a floor of said storage chamber while the rigid anchoring means are detachably interlocked with said rigid anchorage means.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a rack wherein the rigid anchoring means are carried by and are rigidly secured to horizontally extending structural elements or bars that are loosely carried by the elongated frame at opposite ends thereof in substantially parallel relation to the upright side walls of the storage chamber, so that when the transport vehicle is stopped suddenly while in motion in either a forward or a rearward direction, such frame is subject to movement horizontally in a direction lengthwise of said storage chamber relative to said bars and anchoring means while the latter are detachably interlocked with said rigid anchorage means.

Another object is to provide a rack wherein shock absorbing means are provided between and are operatively connected to said bars and said frame to absorb or cushion the shock load and to yieldingly resist or restrain horizontal movement of said frame when it is subjected to movement by the transport vehicle as aforesaid while the rigid anchoring means are detachably interlocked with said rigid anchorage means.

Another object is to provide a rack wherein the shock absorbing means are within the over-all or external dimensions of the frame of said rack, so that such frame is longer and has a greater load volume or load carrying area than heretofore.

Another object is to provide a rack wherein means car ried by the frame thereof and engaging said loosely car ried bars are operable to guide said frame during horizontal movement thereof relative to said loosely carried bars when the rigid anchoring means on the latter are detachably anchored to the rigid anchorage means aforesaid.

Another object is to provide a rack wherein means carried by the frame thereof are engageable with the loosely carried bars to limit horizontal movement of said frame relative to said loosely carried bars when the rigid anchoring means on the latter are detachably anchored to the rigid anchorage means aforesaid.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one of the portable racks embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of a storage chamber of a transport vehicle, and showing on the spaced opposed upright side walls of said chamber rigid anchorage means for the portable racks.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional View through the storage chamber of the transport vehicle,

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and showing the rigid anchoring means at one end of a pair of stacked racks in engagement with the rigid anchorage means upon an adjacent upright side wall of said storage chamber.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary end view of the rack illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarger perspective view of one loosely carried bar and associated parts, and showing rigid anchoring means for the rack carried by said bar at opposite ends thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, A is a transport vehicle storage chamber having a load-sustaining floor 10, and spaced upright side Walls 11 extending upwardly from and rigid with said floor, and B is a portable substantially rectangular rack having a length substantially equal to the distance between the side walls 11 of the storage chamber, and comprising a horizontally extending substantially rectangular frame B having upright corner posts 12 and substantially horizontal side and end bars 13 and 14 respectively extending between and rigidly connected to said posts at their lower ends. Such posts 12 and bars 13 and 14 may be any suitable construction and may be formed of any suitable material such as metal. Preferably the end bars 14 are channel shape and open outwardly. The posts 112 constitute load-sustaining elements and are adapted to be movably or shiftably supported upon the floor Iii of the storage chamber to transmit thereto the weight of the rack and merchandise carried thereby.

Suitable crossbars 14' are upon the inner sides of and are substantially parallel to the end bars 14 and extend between and are rigidly secured at opposite ends thereof to the side bars 13. Also, diagonally extending braces 14" extend between and are rigidly secured at opposite ends thereof to the posts 12 and the end bars 14.

Preferably the upper ends of the posts 12 are provided with upwardly projecting pilot portions or pins 15 for engagement with suitable recesses (not shown) in the lower ends of posts 12 of a superimposed rack B, whereby the racks B may be arranged in stacked relation within the storage chamber A of a transport vehicle. Thus all available space within the storage chamber A can be utilized for the reception of the racks.

In the present instance, the anchorage means for the racks B comprises vertically spaced substantially horizontal rails 24 and 21 respectively fixed to the upright side walls 11 of the storage chamber, while the anchoring means for each rack comprises laterally spaced substantially T-shaped metal lugs 22 fixed to and projecting horizontally from additional transversely extending substantially horizontal metal bars 23 at opposite ends of the rack.

The rails 2d and 21 may be formed of any suitable material such as sheet metal, and may be rigidly secured by any suitable means to the upright side walls 11. Preferably the lowermost rails 24) have upright or vertically extending portions 26 spaced from the upright side walls 11, laterally extending portions 27 and 27' respectively at the upper and lower edges of the upright portions 26, and attaching flanges 28 and 29 respectively at the outer edges of said laterally extending portions 27 and 27' and rigidly secured to the upright side walls 11 of the storage chamber of the transport vehicle.

The uppermost rails 21 have upright or vertically extending portions 3% spaced from the upright side walls 11, laterally extending portions 31 and 32 respectively at the upper and lower edges of the upright portions 30,

and attaching flanges 33 and M respectively at the outer edges of said laterally extending portions 31 and 32 and rigidly secured to the upright side walls 11 of the storage chamber of the transport vehicle.

The lateral portions 27 and 31 of the rails 29 and 21 are provided with longitudinally spaced vertically opening substantially rectangular apertures 35, while the upright portions 26 and 30 respectively of the rails 24) and 21 are provided with longitudinally spaced vertically extending elongated slots or apertures 36 that are uniform in width and open upwardly into the apertures at points substantially midway the ends thereof.

The spacing of the apertures 35 in the lateral portions 27 and 31, and the spacing of the elongated slots 36 in the upright portions 26 and 39 of the rails correspond to the spacing of the T-shaped lugs 22 on opposite ends of the racks B. Moreover, the rails 29 and 21 and the apertures 35 and slots 36 in said rails are so constructed and arranged that the apertures and slots mentioned may be engaged automatically by the lugs 22 on opposite ends of the racks when the latter are lowered vertically by a lift truck (not shown) or the like onto the floor of the storage chamber.

The lugs 22 have horizontally extending stem portions 40 of substantially uniform or equal width abutting and welded to the outer upright edges of upright elongated plates 41 which in turn are rigidly secured intermediate their ends, preferably by a welding operation, to opposite ends of the additional horizontal bars 23, and also are welded to substantially triangular shaped gusset plates 42 which in turn are welded to the bars 23. Thus the elongated end plates 41 and gusset plates 42 constitute integral portions of the additional horizontal bars 23.

The lugs 22 also have at the outer ends of said horizontally extending stem portions 49 upright head portions 43 disposed substantially at right angles to said stem portions 40 and disposed substantially parallel to the outer upright edges of the elongated end plates 41.

The additional horizontal bars 23 are disposed Within and are substantially parallel to the channel-shaped horizontal end bars 14, and are loosely carried by the frame B of the rack at opposite ends thereof. As shown in FIGURE 4, the loosely carried bars 23 are shorter than the end bars 14 to provide spaces 50 between the upright end plates 41 of said bars 23 and the posts 12.

As shown in FIGURE 8, the upright end plates 41 are provided with vertically spaced openings 51 and 52 respectively that slidably receive vertically spaced horizontally extending elongated substantially rectangular blocks 53 and 54 that extend through and are welded to the posts 12. The uppermost blocks 53 also extend through and are secured to brackets 55 that in turn are secured to the posts 12 and to the uppermost horizontal flanges of the end bars 14, while the lowermost blocks 54 rest upon and are welded to the lowermost horizontal flanges of said end bars 14. Thus the blocks 53 and 54 are operable to guide the frame B during horizontal movement thereof relative to said loosely carried bars 23 when the rigid anchoring lugs 22 on the latter are detachably anchored to either the rigid anchorage rails 20 or the rigid anchorage rails 21.

To absorb or cushion the shock load and to yieldingly resist or restrain horizontal movement of the frame B of the rack when it is subjected to shocks and jars by the transport vehicle while the lugs 22 are detachably interlocked with the rails 20, I have provided two shock absorbers C within the external dimensions of the rack. Such shock absorbers C are located respectively at opposite ends of the rack, preferably within the bars 14, as shown in FIGURE 7, and are mounted between and are operatively connected to portions of the bars 14 and 23 at points substantially midway their ends.

As shown in FIGURE 4, each shock absorber C comprises a separate unit having alternately arranged upright metal disks 6% and upright rubber slabs or disks 61 sleeved upon a horizontally extending pin 62. Opposite ends of the pin 62 project beyond the outermost or end metal disks 6t? and are received within and are supported by opposed metal retainers or holders 63 disposed between and welded to spaced plate-like brackets 64 which in turn are welded to and project upwardly from the lowermost flange of the adjacent end bar 14. Such brackets 64 are arranged in horizontally opposed pairs, and are disposed between and are parallel to similar plate-like brackets 65 welded to and projecting downwardly from the adjacent bar 23.

Preferably, the alternately arranged metal disks 6t and rubber disks 61 of each shock absorber C are pressed tightly together between adjacent ends of the opposed brackets 64 and 65, so that each shock absorber C is prestressed when fully installed.

To limit horizontal movement of the frame B of the rack relative to the loosely carried bars 23 when the rigid anchoring lugs 22 on the latter are detachably anchored to either the rigid anchorage rails 20 or the rigid anchorage rails 21, there is a plate-like abutment element 70 (FIGURE 4) rigid with and projecting inwardly from each post 12 and adapted to be engaged by the elongated end plate 41 of an adjacent loosely carried bar 23.

In use, a rack B may be initially carried by a suitable lift truck (not shown) to an elevated position extending transversely of the storage chamber A of the transport vehicle, so that the anchoring lugs 22 at opposite ends of the rack will be above and in vertical alignment with selected apertures 35 in the anchorage rails 29. Then the rack B is lowered vertically by the lift truck (not shown) so that the head portions 43 of said lugs 22 will move downwardly through the apertures 35 in the lateral portions 27 of the rails 29. Further downward movernent of the rack by the lift truck (not shown) will cause the head portions 43 of the lugs 22 to pass downwardly behind the upright portions 26 of the rails 20 and will cause the stems 40 of the lugs 22 to move downwardly within the elongated slots 36. In this position, the opposite ends of the rack B are bridged by the horizontally extending rails 20, and the lugs 22 on opposite ends of the rack are detachably interlocked with the rails 20.

When the racks B are arranged in stacked relation, as shown in FIGURE 3, the posts 12 of the upper racks B will be supported by and interlocked with the posts 12 of the lower racks, and the lugs 22 of the upper racks B will be detachably interlocked with the rails 21. Thus the static load of any single rack, or the static load of the stacked racks, will be carried entirely by the floor 10 of the transport vehicle independently of the upright side walls 11 and the anchorage rails 20 and 21.

The head portions 43 of the lugs 22, in cooperation with the upright portions 26 and 39 respectively of the rails 20 and 21, will effectively restrain the racks from any horizontal displacement transversely of the transport vehicle.

When the transport vehicle in which the racks are anchored is stopped suddenly while in motion in either a forward or a rearward direction, there is a tendency of the frames B of the racks to shift or move horizontally in a direction lengthwise of the transport vehicle. When this occurs, the shock absorbers C will effectively absorb or cushion the shock load and will yieldingly resist or restrain such horizontal movement of the frames B of the racks B in a direction lengthwise of the transport vehicle.

When a frame B of a rack moves horizontally in a direction lengthwise of the transport vehicle as described, the construction and arrangement of the shock absorbers C and of the connections between such shock absorbers and the horizontally extending bars 14 and 23 are such that the loosely carried bars 23 at opposite ends of said frame B are held against movement when the anchoring lugs 22 carried thereby are detachably interlocked with either the anchorage rails 20 or the anchorage rails 21. Thus, the frame B of the rack B is movable horizontally relative to said loosely carried bars 23, depending upon the action of the shock absorbers C, when the anchoring lugs 22 are interlocked with either the anchorage rails 20 or the anchorage rails 21.

The shock absorbers C at opposite ends of the rack B will be under compression when the frame B of the rack moves as described.

The elongated substantially rectangular blocks 53 and 54 carried by the frame B of the rack and slidably engaging the loosely carried bars 23 are operable to guide the frame B of the rack during horizontal movement thereof relative to said loosely carried bars 23 when the latter are anchored to either the anchorage rails 20 or the anchorage rails 21.

The plate-like abutments 79 carried by the frame B are engageable with the elongated end plates 41 of the loosely carried bars 23 to limit horizontal movement of said frame B relative to said bars 23 when the latter are detachably anchored to either the anchorage rails 26] or the anchorage rails 21.

As above stated, the racks B may be anchored, as described, within a storage chamber of a transport vehicle. Thus the merchandise carried by the racks need not be removed therefrom from the time such merchandise is initially loaded onto the racks at the factory where the merchandise is manufactured. By use of a lift truck (not shown) the racks B individually or in a stack may be moved into and positioned within the storage chamber of a transport vehicle so that the anchoring lugs 22 will be detachably interlocked automatically as described with the rails 20 and 21. In a reverse manner such racks B may be removed from the storage chamber of the transport vehicle.

Thus, after the original loading on the racks at the factory, the merchandise may remain intact on the racks until they reach their final destination. Accordingly a great saving in labor, time and cost may be obtained. Moreover, the construction of the anchoring means is such that the racks will be effectively held while in transit. In this connection, the transport vehicle may be either a cargo truck, a cargo trailer, a railway boxcar, a boat or an airplane.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A portable elongated merchandise carrying rack adapted to extend transversely across an elongated longitudinally extending storage chamber of a transport vehicle and having end portions adapted to be disposed sub stantially parallel to opposed longitudinally extending up right side walls of said chamber, said end portions having transversely spaced upright load-sustaining means adapted to be shiftably supported upon a floor of said chamber and having outwardly opening horizontal channel-shaped end bars extending transversely between and rigidly secured to said upright load-sustaining means, brackets secured to said upright load-sustaining means and to the upper sides of said outwardly opening end bars, upper transversely aligned horizontally extending elongated guide members for said rack rigidly secured to said upright load-sustaining means and to said brackets, lower guide members for said rack rigidly secured to said upright load-sustaining means and to the lower sides of said outwardly opening end bars, additional transversely extending horizontal bars within and extending lengthwise of said outwardly opening channel-shaped end bars, said additional bars being separate from said channel-shaped end bars and having upright transversely extending end plates slidably receiving said upper and lower guide members whereby said rack when subjected to shifting movement will be guided horizontally lengthwise of said storage chamber, rigid anchoring means rigidly secured to said additional bars and adapted to be detachably interlocked with rigid anchorage means on the opposed upright side walls of said chamber to hold said additional bars in relatively fixed position, and shock absorbing means operatively connected to said additional bars and to said end bars substantially midway the ends thereof and adapted when said rigid anchoring means are interlocked with the rigid anchorage means aforesaid to yieldingly restrain said rack against horizontal shifting movement lengthwise of said storage chamber.

2. A portable elongated merchandise carrying rack adapted to extend transversely across an elongated longitudinally extending storage chamber of a transport vehicle and having end portions adapted to be disposed substantially parallel to opposed longitudinally extending upright side Walls of said chamber, said end portions having transversely spaced upright load-sustaining means adapted to be shiftably supported upon a floor of said chamber and having outwardly opening horizontal channel-shaped end bars extending transversely between and rigidly secured to said upright load-sustaining means, brackets secured to said upright load-sustaining means and to the upper sides of said outwardly opening end bars, upper transversely aligned horizontally extending elongated guide members for said rack rigidly secured to said upnight load-sustaining means and to said brackets, lower transversely aligned horizontally extending elongated guide members for said rack rigidly secured to said upright load-sustaining means and to the lower sides of said outwardly opening end bars, additional transversely extending horizontal bars within and extending lengthwise of said outwardly opening channel-shaped end bars, said additional bars being separate from said channel-shaped end bars and having upright transversely extending end plates slidably receiving said upper and lower guide members whereby said rack when subjected to shifting movement will be guided horizontally lengthwise of said storage chamber, rigid anchoring means rigidly secured to said additional bars and adapted to be detachably interlocked with rigid anchorage means on the opposed upright side walls of said chamber to hold said additional bars .in relatively fixed position, shock absorbing means extending lengthwise of said end bars and said additional bars substantially midway the ends thereof, and means carried by said end bars and said additional bars engaging opposite ends of said shock absorbring means and operable during horizontal shifting movement aforesaid of said rack to cause said shock absorbing means to be placed under compression and to yieldingly resist such horizontal shifting movement of said rack.

3. The structure defined in claim 2, wherein the shock absorbing means is also within and substantially parallel to the channel-shaped end bars of said rack.

4. A portable elongated merchandise carrying rack adapted to extend transversely across an elongated longitudinally extending storage chamber of a transport vehicle and having end portions adapted to be disposed substantially parallel to opposed longitudinally extending upright side walls of said chamber, said end portions having transversely spaced upright load-sustaining means adapted to be shi-ftably supported upon a floor of said chamber and having outwardly opening horizontal chan nel-shaped end bars extending transversely between and rigidly secured to said upright load-sustaining means, brackets secured to sm'd upright load-sustaining means and to the upper sides of said outwardly opening end bars, upper transversely aligned horizontally extending elongated guide members for said rack rigidly secured to said upright load-sustaining means and to said brackets, lower transversely aligned horizontally extending elongated guide members for said rack rigidly secured to said upright load-sustaining means and to the lower sides of said outwardly opening end bars, additional transversely extending horizontal bars within and extend-ing lengthwise of said outwardly opening channel-shaped end bars, said additional bars being separate from said channelshaped end bars and having upright transversely extend- 6 ing end plates slidably receiving said upper and lower guide members whereby said rack when subjected to shifting movement will be guided horizontally lengthwise of said storage chamber, rigid anchoring means rigidly secured to said additional bars and adapted to be detachably interlocked with rigid anchorage means on the opposed upright side walls of said chamber to hold said additional bars in relatively fixed position, shock absorbing means extending lengthwise of said end bars and said additional bars substantially midway the ends thereof, and brackets fixed to said end bars and said additional bars and engaging opposite ends of said shock absorbing means, said brackets being operable during horizontal shifting movement aforesaid of said rack to cause said shock absorbing means to be placed under compression and to yieldingly resist such horizontal shifting movement of said rack.

5. The structure defined in claim 4, wherein means carried by said upright load-sustaining means are enigageable with the end plates of said additional bars during horizontal shifting movement of said rack to limit such shifting movement.

6. The structure defined in claim 4, wherein plate-like abutments fixed to said upright load-sustaining means are engageable with the end plates of said additional bars during horizontal shifting movement of said rack to limit such shifting movement.

7. The structure defined in claim 4, wherein the shock absorbing means includes alternately arranged metal discs and rubber discs that are prestressed between said brackets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,047,955 Fitch July 21, 1936 2,852,223 Roberts Sept. 16, 1958 2,988,018 Stough June 13, 196 1 

1. A PORTABLE ELONGATED MERCHANDISE CARRYING RACK ADAPTED TO EXTEND TRANSVERSELY ACROSS AN ELONGATED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING STORAGE CHAMBER OF A TRANSPORT VEHICLE AND HAVING END PORTIONS ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO OPPOSED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING UPRIGHT SIDE WALLS OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID END PORTIONS HAVING TRANSVERSELY SPACED UPRIGHT LOAD-SUSTAINING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE SHIFTABLY SUPPORTED UPON A FLOOR OF SAID CHAMBER AND HAVING OUTWARDLY OPENING HORIZONTAL CHANNEL-SHAPED END BARS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN AND RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID UPRIGHT LOAD-SUSTAINING MEANS, BRACKETS SECURED TO SAID UPRIGHT LOAD-SUSTAINING MEANS AND TO THE UPPER SIDES OF SAID OUTWARDLY OPENING END BARS, UPPER TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING ELONGATED GUIDE MEMBERS FOR SAID RACK RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID UPRIGHT LOAD-SUSTAINING MEANS AND TO SAID BRACKETS, LOWER GUIDE MEMBERS FOR SAID RACK RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID UPRIGHT LOAD-SUSTAINING MEANS AND TO THE LOWER SIDES OF SAID OUTWARDLY OPENING END BARS, ADDITIONAL TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING HORIZONTAL BARS WITHIN AND EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF SAID OUTWARDLY OPENING CHANNEL-SHAPED END BARS, SAID ADDITIONAL BARS BEING SEPARATE FROM SAID CHANNEL-SHAPED END BARS AND HAVING UPRIGHT TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING END PLATES SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID UPPER AND LOWER GUIDE MEMBERS WHEREBY SAID RACK WHEN SUBJECTED TO SHIFTING MOVEMENT WILL BE GUIDED HORIZONTALLY LENGTHWISE OF SAID STORAGE CHAMBER, RIGID ANCHORING MEANS RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID ADDITIONAL BARS AND ADAPTED TO BE DETACHABLY INTERLOCKED WITH RIGID ANCHORAGE MEANS ON THE OPPOSED UPRIGHT SIDE WALLS OF SAID CHAMBER TO HOLD SAID ADDITIONAL BARS IN RELATIVELY FIXED POSITION, AND SHOCK ABSORBING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID ADDITIONAL BARS AND TO SAID END BARS SUBSTANTIALLY MIDWAY THE ENDS THEREOF AND ADAPTED WHEN SAID RIGID ANCHORING MEANS ARE INTERLOCKED WITH THE RIGID ANCHORAGE MEANS AFORESAID TO YIELDINGLY RESTRAIN SAID RACK AGAINST HORIZONTAL SHIFTING MOVEMENT LENGTHWISE OF SAID STORAGE CHAMBER. 